Apparatus for making gas.



No. 673,542. Patented May 7, I90I. ammuusou.

APPARATUS FOB MAKING GAS.

(Appliation filed Sept. 28, 1900.)

2 Sheets-Shut I.

(No Model.)

No. 673,542. Patented May 7. i90l.

C. J.-JOHNSON.

APPARATUS FOR MAKING GAS.

(Application filed Sept. 28, 1900.)

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

m: mums vnzns co Pnotoumou wuummou n c U ITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES J. JOHNSON, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO CHARLES W. BENEDICT, OF SAME PLACE.

APPARATUS FOR MAKING GAS.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 673,542, dated May 7, 1901.

Application filed September 28, 1900. Serial No. 31,463. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, CHARLES J. JOHNSON, a citizen of the United States, residing at St. Louis, in the State of Missouri, have invented new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Manufacturing Gas, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in apparatus for manufacturing gas; and it con- IO sists in the novel combination and arrangement of parts, as will be hereinafter more particularly described and claimed.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a front elevation of my complete invention. Fig. 2'is a r 5 perspective view of the air-compressing cylinder and the operative gearing connected therewith. Fig. 3 is a top plan view of my complete invention. Fig. 4 is a vertical 1ongitudinal section of the gasolene-tank, taken on the line 00 a; of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a transverse section of one end of the engine about its valve portion, and Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the apparatus used for overcoming the dead-center of the parts of the apparatus.

The object of myinvention is to construct a simple, practical, durable, and positively automatically operative apparatus for man ufacturing gas from particularly gasolene, wherein gas is produced in sufficient quantities to accommodate the number of lamps or burners desired to be used without any attention to the machine or apparatus on the part of the consumer, the said apparatus being operated, preferably, by water under pressure from the ordinary service-pipe, forming a part of the usual reservoir or water-supply; and it consists particularly in the details of construction of the apparatus, as will be hereinafter more fully described.

Referring to the drawings, 1 represents a tank or reservoir constructed of suitable material, within which is located'a screen or perforated partition-wall 2, upon which is located absorbent material 3, and secured to the bottom of said reservoir is a pump 5, from which leads an upright pipe 6, terminating in a perforated horizontallyarranged coil 7, which is located above said absorbent material and operates to convey the gasolene 8 contained in the bottom of the reservoir to the top of the latter and force the same through the said absorbent material suspended above the gasolene in the manner previously described, the said pump 5 being operated by a rock-shaft 9, projecting from one side of the said reservoir. Secured to the outer projecting end of the rock-shaft 9 is a depending arm 10, the

pivoted lever 18, movably secured to the bracket 19, forming a rigidpart of the reservoir and adjustably located upon the long arm of said lever, and between said bracket and post 17 is an adjustable weight 20, which operates to accurately adjust the proper manipulation of the machine when in operation. Movably secured to the short end of the lever 18 is a depending rod 21, the lower end of which is likewise secured to a crank-arm '22, projecting from the regulating-valve 23, located in the Water-supply pipe 24, the latter leading from any suitable water-supply under pressure and in communication with the water-motor 14 by the horizontal pipe 25, which is connected to the opposite ends of the cylinder forming said motor. The opposite ends or valve portions of the cylinder of the motor 14 are likewise constructed, and located within each of the same is a plug 26, having ports 27 and 28, which are arranged at an angle to one another and are on a line with the horizontal pipe 25,an exit or drainage pipe 29, and forming an integral part of each of said plugs is a depending rod 30, to which are secured arms 31, the outer ends of which are movably attached to a horizon tally-reciprocating rod 32, movably held in supports 33, whereby when the said rod is reciprocated by the mechanism hereinafter described the plugs 26 of the valves of the motor will be simultaneously operated for the proper manipulation of the piston ot the same ferreciprocating the piston-rod 13.

Secured to the base of the apparatus are two bearings 34, which support the opposite ends of the rod 35, and movable upon the latter is a sleeve 36, to which are secured two upwardly-projecting arms 37, with which cooperates the block 12, secured to the pistonrod 13, when the-said block is reciprocated, and also secured to the sleeve 36 and depending therefrom adjacent to one of the arms 37 is a similar arm 38, which movably embraces the reciprocating rod 32 and adapted to intermittingly cooperate with the collars 39, secured to said rod, for operating, the plugs or valves 26 of the motor when the machine is in operation and which regulates the proper stroke of the piston located within the motor, and consequently the piston-rod 13.

In order to render the machine positively operative under any and all circumstances,

- a fork 40 forms an integral part of the sleeve 2 6, with which cooperates the wedge-shaped end 41 of the rod 42, the latter freely passing through the upper hinged end 43 of the bracket 44, and encircling said rod 42 and interposed between the upper hinged end 43 of the bracket and the wedge-shaped end 41 of said rod is a coil-spring 45, which operates to hold the wedge-shaped end 41 in its proper position in respect to the fork 40, and projecting from the base of the machine is a post 46-, to the upper end of which is movably secured a roller 47, with which codperates the sleeve 36, in order to hold the latter in its proper position for the perfect operation of the parts.

To the opposite end of the air-pump or compression-cylinder are attached the opposite ends of the air-supply pipe 48, to the intermediate portion of which leads a pipe 49, which enters the bottom of the reservoir 1 and operates to force air through the gasolene 8 contained within said reservoir and through the absorbent material 3 to the top of said reservoir and against the diaphragm 16 of the same, the gas generated passing out of the pipe 50, leading from the top of said reservoir.

In order to fill the reservoir 1 with gasolene,

a stand-pipe 51 is employed and provided with a valve 52, which communicates with the interior of said reservoir below the absorbent material 3 contained within the same, and forming a part of said reservoir is a gage 53, which indicates the quantity of gasolene contained within the reservoir. After the reservoir 1 has been filled with the proper amount of gasolene and the water from any suitable source of supply fed through the pipe 24 the motor 14 will be operated and the piston-rod 13 reciprocated, causing air to be forced from the pump 15 through the gasolene contained in the reservoir and through the absorbent material 3 located above the gasolene, the gas thus generated passing off from the absorbent material and out through the servicepipe 50 for use, and as the piston 13 is reciprocated thearms 37 will he intermittingly brought in contact with the block 12, secured to the rod 13, and operate to reciprocate the latter, and in consequence rock the arm 10 and operate the pump 5 for simultaneously forcing the gasolene from the bottom of the reservoir to the top of the same and above the absorbent material, where it is sprayed upon the absorbent material by the mechanism previously described, and as these operations are being carried out the valves of the motor are simultaneously operated for the proper manipulation of the same and in order to keep up a continuous operation. I

By the employment of the diaphragm 16 and its connecting parts to the valve 23 of the water-supply pipe leading to the motor the proper amount of water is supplied to said motor according to the amount of gas that is desired to be used, or, in other words, should a small amount of gas be used or burned a likewise amount of water will be supplied to the motor, and consequently the latter and the parts of the mechanism operated thereby will be moved slowly for the reason that the gas produced within the reservoir will cause the diaphragm 16 to become elevated or forced upwardly, and thereby operate to close the valve; but should there be a less accumulation of gas within the reservoir by consumption the diaphragm will slightly fall, thereby opening the valve 23 and setting the pump 14 in more active operation, and consequently it will be seen that the entire device is automatic in its operation and the speed or movement of 'the motor is governed entirely by the amount of gas consumed notwithstanding the constant pressure of the water or other power fed to' the engine under a constant pressure.

A very important feature of my invention is the fact that after the apparatus is set in motion it needs no further attention on the part of the operator, notwithstanding the variable amount of gas that may be consumed, and that the same quality and pressure of gas may be maintained at all times.

Having fully described my invention, What I claim is- 1. An apparatus for manufacturing gas, comprising a suitable reservoir for containing gasolene, a suitable pump for forcing air into said reservoir and-through the gasolene contained therein, an engine for operating said pump and controlled by the pressure of gas contained within the reservoir, and suitable mechanism connected with the carbureter for simultaneously controlling the said engine and pump, whereby a constant pressure of gas is maintained within the reservoir, notwithstanding the variable amount of gas that may be consumed, substantially as described.

2. An apparatus for manufacturing gas, comprising a suitable tank or reservoir for containing gasolene, absorbent material located within the same, and located above the gasolene, a pump for forcing the gasolene from the bottom of said reservoir, to the top of the same, and above and into the absorbent material, a diaphragm covering said reservoir, and operated by the action or pressure of the gas generated from the gasolene, a suitable engine, mechanism connecting the diaphragm to said engine for controlling the action of the latter, an air-pump operated by said engine, and adapted to force air into the reservoir and gasolene contained therein,sub-

' stantially as described.

3. An apparatus for manufacturing gas, comprising a suitable reservoir for containing gasolene, a diaphragm forming the top'of said reservoir, a suitableeugine adapted to be operated by water or other power, a pipe leading to said engine for supplying water thereto, a valve located within said pipe, suitable mechanism connecting said valve to said diaphragm, ated by the variable pressure of gas contained within the reservoir, the valve is likewise operated for controlling the action of the engine, an air compressor or pump, a pipe leading therefrom and entering said reservoir about the bottom of the same, for forcing air through the gasolene contained within the reservoir, a piston, connecting the engine with the air-pump, and suitable mechanism for controlling the valves of the engine,whereby the piston-rod is reciprocated, as and for the purpose described.

whereby when the latter is oper- 4:. An apparatus for manufacturing gas, comprising a suitable tank or reservoir for containing gasolene, a perforated partition located within the same, and located above said gasolene, absorbent material supported by said partition, a pump located within the reservoir, at the bottom of the same, a pipe leading from said pump, the upper end of which terminates in a perforated coil above the absorbent material, means for. operating said pump, whereby the gasolene is sprayed upon the absorbent material, means for supplying air to the reservoir, and forcing the same through the gasolene contained therein, and through the absorbent material,whereby gas is generated in the upper portion of the reservoir, a diaphragm forming the top of said reservoir, and operated by the pressure of gas generated within the same, a suitable engine operated by water or other supply, mechanism cooperating with said engine and diaphragm for regulating the supply of water to the engine, an air-compressor operated by said engine, and suitable mechanism for operatively controlling the action of the connecting parts, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof Iaflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES J. JOHNSON.

Witnesses:

O. F. KELLER, G. J. ANDERSON. 

